After a productive offseason filled with preparation, leadership development and a commitment to improving the details of his game, Kingman senior Boston Beck believes the Eagles are ready to surprise people this season.
Beck, a versatile contributor at running back and safety, said the biggest thing he is looking forward to is seeing the work put in by the entire program translate into success on the field.
“What I’m most excited about is seeing all of our hard work pay off,” Beck said. “Freshman through seniors, every guy has put in their best in this offseason and is ready to play.”
Kingman enters the season with confidence and a renewed sense of purpose. Beck said the Eagles are motivated by the opportunity to improve on areas that held them back a year ago and turn those weaknesses into strengths.
“I’m ready to see what we struggled on last year be one of our strong suits,” Beck said. “Our coaching staff and players want nothing more than to go far this year, and we have the right men in the right positions to do exactly that.”
Beck said the Eagles are embracing an underdog mentality heading into the season, using outside expectations as motivation.
“I’m excited to surprise people,” Beck said. “Nobody is expecting us to do anything special and that’s why it’s so special.”
Kingman will also face a new challenge with a revamped schedule, giving the Eagles an opportunity to test themselves against unfamiliar opponents.
“I’m looking forward to our new schedule,” Beck said. “We’re playing new teams that we have never encountered before and it will be a great new look.”
During the offseason, Beck focused on becoming a more complete player. He spent time studying film, improving his technique and developing his leadership skills while attending football showcases and camps.
“I’ve been watching more film, working on technique, and learning how to be a better leader,” Beck said. “I’ve went to multiple football showcases and camps in the offseason and have seen where I stand against competition.”
One of Beck’s biggest areas of focus was improving his inside running ability. While he found success using his speed and ability to bounce runs outside, he wanted to become more effective between the tackles.
“My outside run game was my advantage point on teams,” Beck said. “I could build speed and cut upfield then break free. When it came to my inside run I was stuck. I didn’t know what I was looking for blocking wise and didn’t know when to hit the gap.”
Beck spent countless hours studying film and improving his vision to become a more patient and decisive runner.
“My film time has never been too high,” Beck said. “Watching the same play over and over until I see how I can get better at every small detail.”
Along with improving physically, Beck has also focused on building stronger relationships with his teammates and becoming a better leader.
“Leadership wise I’ve spent time away from football-related things and have learned more about my teammates and have built more of a brotherhood than just a team,” Beck said.
Beck enters the season coming off a strong junior campaign in which he recorded 74 tackles, including 49 solo tackles, three sacks, seven tackles for loss and two interceptions.
This season, Beck has set ambitious individual goals, including becoming Kingman’s first 1,000-yard rusher in a decade, earning first-team all-state honors at running back and safety, and contributing in the return game with more than 500 kickoff return yards.
However, Beck said the biggest goals are team accomplishments. He believes the Eagles have the talent and commitment to compete for championships.
“I would like us to go undefeated in the regular season, which I think is very doable, win league, win districts, and make it past the second round of playoffs, which we haven’t been able to do in three years,” Beck said.
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